Illness
Illness
Regular attendance is important for children's learning, friendships and wellbeing. However, children should not attend school when they are too unwell to do so.
Parents and carers know their children best and are responsible for deciding whether their child is well enough to attend school. If you are unsure, the NHS provides helpful advice about common childhood illnesses and whether a child should attend school.
If your child is unwellIf your child is too unwell to attend school, please contact the school on the first day of absence and tell us the reason for their absence. Please continue to keep us informed if the absence continues. The Department for Education advises schools that, in most cases, a parent's notification that their child is too ill to attend is sufficient. Schools are not expected to routinely request medical evidence for ordinary illness absence. Where illness is prolonged or frequently recurring, we may contact you to understand the circumstances and consider whether any additional support is needed. If your child is diagnosed with an infectious illness, please let the school know so that we can follow the appropriate public health guidance and, where necessary, take steps to protect other members of our school community. Minor illnessesChildren do not necessarily need to stay away from school for every minor illness. For example, a child with a minor cough, cold or sore throat may usually attend if they are otherwise well and do not have a high temperature. If your child is clearly unwell, has a high temperature or is not well enough to take part in normal school activities, they should remain at home until they feel better. |
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Vomiting and diarrhoeaChildren with vomiting or diarrhoea must remain away from school until at least 48 hours (2 days) after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea. For example, if a child is last sick on Monday afternoon, they should not return to school until Thursday, provided that they have had no further symptoms. This is the current UK Health Security Agency and NHS guidance and helps prevent infections spreading through school. If your child becomes unwell at schoolIf your child becomes unwell during the school day and we believe that they need to go home, we will contact a parent, carer or another named emergency contact. Please ensure that the school always has up-to-date telephone numbers and emergency contact details. Children should not normally arrange to go home themselves. A member of staff will contact you if we believe that your child needs to be collected. |
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Medicines in schoolSome children may need medication during the school day, either for a short period or because they have an ongoing medical condition. Where medication needs to be administered during school hours, parents should contact the school office and complete the appropriate consent form. Prescribed medicines accepted by school should normally be:
Please do not send medication into school in your child's bag unless this has been specifically agreed with the school. Where a child has an ongoing medical condition, arrangements will be agreed with parents and, where necessary, healthcare professionals. Medicines and emergency devices such as asthma inhalers and adrenaline auto-injectors must be readily accessible when needed and will be stored or carried in accordance with the child's individual arrangements or healthcare plan. If your child develops a long-term or significant medical condition, please contact us so that we can discuss the support they may need in school. Medical and dental appointmentsWhere possible, parents are encouraged to arrange routine medical and dental appointments outside school hours. We recognise that this is not always possible. If your child needs to attend an appointment during the school day, please notify the school office in advance, giving the date and time of the appointment. Children should only miss the minimum amount of school time necessary for the appointment and, where practical, should attend school before the appointment and/or return afterwards. This reflects current Department for Education attendance guidance. When collecting your child for an appointment, please report to the school office. Your child should also be signed back in if they return to school afterwards. |
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When should my child return to school?Different illnesses have different recommended exclusion periods. For many common illnesses, children can return to school as soon as they feel well enough to take part in normal school activities. Some infectious illnesses require children to remain away from school for a specific period.
Current examples include:
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These are general guidelines. Some illnesses or individual circumstances may require different advice, so please follow any instructions given by your GP, healthcare professional, UKHSA or the school. Current UKHSA guidance provides the definitive public-health exclusion periods.
Useful guidance for parents:
NHS – Is my child too ill for school?
UKHSA – Public health exclusion periods for schools
If illness is affecting your child's attendance
Sometimes a child's physical or mental health can lead to a longer period of absence or repeated difficulties attending school.
Please speak to us as early as possible if this is happening. We will work with you to understand the circumstances and consider what support or reasonable adjustments may help your child to attend successfully.
The DfE's current statutory attendance guidance expects schools to work collaboratively with families where illness is long-term or recurring rather than simply treating the absence as an attendance issue.
